The field of this invention has to do with medicine and more particularly to an apparatus which is to be mounted in conjunction with an eyeball to provide for a continuous source for relief of pressure of the liquid contained within the eyeball to prevent that liquid from exceeding a pre-established pressure level.
A common disease of the eye is glaucoma. Within the eyeball is located a liquid called the aqueous humor and vitreous humor. This liquid is normally under a certain pressure with the common pressure being approximately twenty millimiters of mercury. In glaucoma, this pressure increases and if the pressure gets too severe, the individual can go blind.
In the past, there have been different techniques to relieve this excessive pressure and a vast amount of money is spent each year on drops that are to be placed onto the eye that are minimally effective. Additionally, there have been numerous surgical techniques in order to relieve this pressure. One of the most common surgical techniques is to cut a hole in the eyeball which provides an outlet for some of the liquid contained in the eyeball thereby relieving the pressure. This hole is then sutured. The disadvantage of this technique is that initially the pressure of the liquid in the eyeball is decreased below the desired level to atmospheric pressure this lack of pressure within the eyeball can cause certain undesirable medical problems such as corneal dystrophy as well as other problems. As time goes on, normally the pressure will again build back to its original adverse level which will require duplicating of the surgical procedure or initiating some other procedure.
To overcome the disadvantage of this technique there has been manufactured a valve assembly which is to be mounted in conjunction with the eyeball and located within the hole cut into the eyeball. It is the function of this valve to be activated if a certain pressure level is exceeded and provide an escape route for some of the liquid contained within the eyeball thereby releasing the pressure. The disadvantage of this valve is that it frequently malfunctions thereby requiring replacement or removal of the valve unit.
Another known device has to do with utilizing a balloon operating a pump and check valve as opposed to sole use of a check valve. This pump is to release liquid when pressure is applied to the balloon. This pressure to the balloon is to be applied by the natural blinking process of a human being or is to be applied by manual rubbing of one's eye. Again, this type of unit is not free from malfunction.
There is a need to construct an improved form of pressure relieving device which is to be mounted in conjunction with an eyeball which will continually release the pressure of an eyeball once the pressure has exceeded a predetermined level with this device being substantially free of malfunction having no moving parts, valves or pumps.